BEC Dunn finally has something to rejoice about this Easter!
The Newcastle trainer was back in the winning list at Port Macquarie’s TAB meeting yesterday for the first time in nearly four years with a lightly-raced three-year-old filly she bred.
Inferencia ($3.60), having only her fourth start and her first since the beginning of November, did a splendid job to take the Maiden Plate (1108m) despite never seeing the inside rail.
She drew barrier 10 in a field of 11 and began well but was trapped off the track before rider Brooke Stower got her across to sit three wide outside the $2.90 favorite Jackyy Dee and Garside ($13) at the 700m.
Inferencia took the lead in the straight and never shirked her task, comfortably holding off Madam Rock ($9) and Sir Lincoln ($31) to shed her maiden status.
Dunn hit the headlines in June 2019 when she won her first metropolitan race at Warwick Farm with a filly (now seven-year-old Benfica mare On Her Word) she bought for only $500 at a Scone yearling sale.
But it has been anything but plain sailing since – until yesterday.
On Her Word was placed on six occasions after the Sydney victory without winning before Dunn decided to breed from her.
“Unfortunately her first foal, a filly by Outreach, suffered a horrific paddock injury,” she said.
“The vets at Newcastle Equine Clinic have been amazed at how well she has done, but she has to have more surgery later this week.
“She is only a weanling, and we’re still hopeful we will be able to race her.”
Dunn trained Inferencia’s dam, the Reward For Effort mare Forever Ranga, and won two races (at Muswellbrook and Tuncurry) with her in late 2017 before she took ill.
“Forever Ranga got a virus and it affected her epiglottis, and that was the end of her racing career after only 10 starts,” she explained.
“As a result of a chat on Facebook, I was able to send her to Victoria to be mated with Inference (the 2017 Group 1 Randwick Guineas winner), and Inferencia is her first foal.”
Dunn says she didn’t push Inferencia, hence she didn’t race as a two-year-old, because of her structure.
“She is a real lanky little filly, and the weather wasn’t on our side either,” she said.
“I just kept pottering about with Inferencia, giving her slow and educational work.
“We went to Port Macquarie yesterday knowing she had ability but still being unsure of her racing pattern.
I have to give Brooke (Stower) full marks as she rode the filly exactly as I had wanted.
“It was such a thrill to see her win. Finally, we had something to celebrate again.”
. Inferencia is the only horse Dunn has racing at present. She also has an unraced two-year-old colt Super Lee, whose dam Marlee Dancer was the first foal of the Danehill mare DaneleeDancer, and her next foal was the inaugural 2015 Country Championships Final winner Artlee.
*Words John Curtis - Monday, April 10 Pics - Trackside Photography*
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